Internet strawman and user interface therefor

ABSTRACT

Information for performing a transaction with a vendor is received at an intermediary. The transaction is to be performed on behalf of a consumer-subscriber. The intermediary presents the information to a vendor. Confirmation from the vendor of the transaction is received at the intermediary. The intermediary provides notification of the confirmation, and the notification is accessible by the consumer-subscriber.

RELATED UNITED STATES PATENT APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of co-pending, commonly-owned U.S.patent application Ser. No. 13/219,057 by G. Eubanks, filed on Aug. 26,2011, entitled “Internet Strawman and User Interface Therefor,” assignedto the assignee of the present invention, and hereby incorporated byreference in its entirety; which in turn is a continuation ofco-pending, commonly-owned U.S. patent application Ser, No. 12/623,282by G. Eubanks, filed on Nov. 20, 2009, entitled “Internet Strawman andUser Interface Therefor,” now U.S. Pat. No. 8,051,150, assigned to theassignee of the present invention, and hereby incorporated by referencein its entirety; which in turn is a continuation of co-pending,commonly-owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/006,498 by G.Eubanks, filed on Jan. 2, 2008, entitled “Internet Strawman and UserInterface Therefor,” now U.S. Pat. No. 7,650,408, assigned to theassignee of the present invention, and hereby incorporated by referencein its entirety; which in turn is a continuation of co-pending,commonly-owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/661,578 by G.Eubanks, filed on Sep. 14, 2000, entitled “Internet Strawman and UserInterface Therefor,” now U.S. Pat. No. 7,330,884, also assigned to theassignee of the present invention, and also hereby incorporated byreference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to the design of user interface in thecontext of electronic commerce. More specifically, the present inventionpertains to a system and method for implementing an intermediary topreserve user privacy and anonymity in electronic transactions.

2. Related Art

In recent years, electronic commerce (e-commerce) has evolved to becomean important part of modern commerce. New electronic storefronts springup on the Internet daily, and many traditional sellers also haveestablished their presence on the Internet or have plans to do in thenear future. By way of background, the Internet is a worldwidecollection of computer networks and gateways that generally use theTCP/IP suite of protocols to communicate with one another. The Internetallows easy access to media and data from a variety of sources, and iscapable of delivering such information to users wherever they may be.Over the past few years, the Internet has experienced vastcommercialization and has evolved into a worldwide informationsuper-highway and database, containing information on every subjectknown to humankind.

The most prevalent and popular aspect of the Internet is the World WideWeb (also called the “Web”). The Web is an Internet facility that allowsa server computer system (e.g., a Web server or a Web site) to send Webdocuments, commonly known as Web pages, to a remote client computersystem. The remote client computer system can then display the Webdocuments using a Web browser. Typically, a Web page contains links(hyperlinks) that let users jump from page to page whether the pages arestored on the same server or on different servers around the world.

The Web has become the center of Internet activity since, among otherreasons, Web pages, containing both text and graphics, provide auser-friendly graphical interface to the Internet. The Web is alsoconducive for conducting e-commerce. Many Web servers have beendeveloped through which on-line vendors (e-vendors) can advertise andsell products and services. Some e-vendors provide an on-line cataloglisting the items that are available. A user may browse through theon-line catalog using a browser and select various items that he/shedesires to order. Typically, when the user has finished selecting theitems, he/she is then prompted to enter his personal information, suchas credit card information, shipping address, etc., so as to completethe ordering process. The Web server then confirms the order by sendinga confirmation Web page to the client computer and schedules shipment ofthe ordered items.

Nevertheless, many consumers feel uneasy or are even unwilling to engagein these on-line transactions due to the lack of anonymity. Moreparticularly, during an electronic transaction, information about thetransaction (e.g., items ordered) as well as information of a personalnature (e.g., name, address, credit card number of the consumer) aretypically and necessarily sent to the vendor. While aggregating suchinformation may be invaluable to the vendors for various purposes, suchas using the information to track the buying habits of consumers and/ordirecting targeted advertising to them, the majority of consumers preferto remain anonymous in on-line transactions so that their privacy can bebetter preserved. Thus, it would be advantageous to provide a mechanismby which electronic transactions can be consummated without having tocompromise the identity of individual consumers.

Another problem exists for consumers who patronize multiple e-vendors.Typically, each e-vendor requires a patron to establish a personalprofile or account (e.g., setting up a user name and password) before atransaction can be entered into. The process of establishing such aprofile or account must generally be repeated for each and everye-vendor that the consumer deals with as different e-vendors are usuallynot affiliated with one another and thus each maintains its own useraccounts. Since these multiple accounts are created separately atdifferent entities, more often than not they have different attributes,such as user names and passwords. Even where the consumer is allowed tochoose his/her own user name, it is unlikely that the same user name canbe had at the various e-vendors because a desired name is often alreadytaken by another consumer. The situation is even less desirable wherethe e-vendor's system arbitrarily assigns a user name that does not bearany meaning to the consumer.

Due to the above reasons, an individual consumer who patronizes multiplee-vendors must therefore remember all of his/her user names and theirrespective passwords as well as which e-vendor's Web site they eachcorresponds to in order to access those sites to transact business. Assuch, apart from being unable to remain anonymous as described above, itis also very cumbersome, confusing and inconvenient for the consumer tohave to manage numerous unrelated and sometime convoluted user names andpasswords.

Therefore, it would be very beneficial to have a mechanism whereby theconsumer can conveniently transact business with multiple e-vendorswithout having to deal with numerous unrelated user names and passwordsfor accessing individual Web sites and to do so anonymously.

A different but related problem presents itself for consumers whopatronize multiple e-vendors. Since each e-vendor maintains its own useraccounts, a consumer who conducts business with multiple e-vendors wouldreceive separate transaction statements and correspondence (e.g.,billing statements, order confirmations, etc.) from each individuale-vendor. The large volume of records and correspondence generated wouldquickly become cumbersome and unwieldy for the consumer to manage.Therefore, it would be advantageous to provide a mechanism that helpsthe consumer avoid having to handle vast amounts of records andcorrespondence from different e-vendors with whom the consumer transactsbusiness.

Furthermore, it is appreciated that compatibility is essential indeveloping an interfacing mechanism. More specifically, differente-vendors are likely to set up different electronic storefronts (e.g.,different Web site layout and navigation) in an e-commerce environment.Thus, it would be desirable to provide an interfacing mechanism forconsumers to conveniently transact business with multiple e-vendorswithout compromising the individual consumer's identity and without theneed to maintain numerous user names, passwords or transaction recordssuch that the mechanism is compatible and applicable to differing Websites that are present in the e-commerce environment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It would be advantageous to provide a mechanism by which electronictransactions can be consummated without having to compromise theidentity of individual consumers. Furthermore, it would also beadvantageous for such a mechanism to allow the consumer to convenientlytransact business with multiple e-vendors without the need to managenumerous unrelated user names and passwords or vast amounts oftransaction records. Additionally, it would be desirable to provide amechanism that is compatible and applicable to different Web sites thatare present in the e-commerce environment.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a system and method forimplementing an intermediary to preserve user privacy and anonymity inelectronic transactions. By so doing, embodiments of the presentinvention promote broad consumer acceptance and participation inelectronic transactions because of the added assurance that theirpersonal information are better protected. Moreover, embodiments of thepresent invention greatly simplify the management of user names,passwords as well as record-keeping for on-line consumers by allowingeach consumer to establish a single subscriber account through whichtransactions with different e-vendors can be conducted. Furthermore,embodiments of the present invention can be used to transact business ata wide spectrum of e-commerce Web sites which have different layouts andnavigation paradigms, thereby providing a ubiquitous solution for thesubscribing consumer. These and other advantages of the presentinvention not specifically mentioned above will become clear withindiscussions of the present invention presented herein.

More specifically, in one embodiment of the present invention, acomputer implemented method for facilitating a transaction between asubscriber and a vendor through an intermediary is provided. In thisembodiment, the method comprises the step of receiving at theintermediary personal information from the subscriber to establish auser account. The method also comprises the step of storing the personalinformation for subsequent access. The method further comprises the stepof receiving a request from the subscriber to access the user account,upon which the subscriber's identity is verified by the intermediaryagainst the personal information. The method also comprises the step ofthe intermediary entering into a transaction with the vendor on behalfof the subscriber based on the subscriber's instruction once thesubscriber's identity is successfully verified. The method furthercomprises the step of notifying the subscriber upon completion of thetransaction. Importantly, the transaction is completed withoutdisclosing the subscriber's personal information to the vendor. As such,the consumer remains anonymous with respect to the vendor. In a specificembodiment, the present invention includes the above steps and furtherincludes the step of preparing an account activity statement for thesubscriber. In one embodiment, the present invention includes the aboveand further includes the step of receiving at the intermediary an itemordered from the vendor on behalf of the subscriber based on thesubscriber's instruction, as well as the step of billing the subscriberfor services rendered.

Embodiments of the present invention include the above steps and furthercomprise the step of receiving at the intermediary a post-deliveryrequest about the item from the subscriber, and the step of handling thepost-delivery request on behalf of the subscriber. Particularly, in acurrently preferred embodiment, such a post-delivery request can be areturn request, a repair request, an exchange request, a warrantysubmission request, or a rebate request.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part ofthis specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and,together with the description, serve to explain the principles of theinvention:

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an exemplary computer system withwhich embodiments of the present invention can be implemented.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary client-serverenvironment in which embodiments of the present invention can bepracticed.

FIGS. 3A, 3B, 3C and 3D are diagrams illustrating exemplary screen shotsas observed by a consumer-subscriber during various stages of atransaction with a vendor through an intermediary in accordance with oneembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating steps for facilitating atransaction between a consumer-subscriber and a vendor through anintermediary in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of theinvention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings. While the invention will be described in conjunction with thepreferred embodiments, it will be understood that they are not intendedto limit the invention to these embodiments. To the contrary, theinvention is intended to cover alternatives, modifications andequivalents, which may be included within the spirit and scope of theinvention as defined by the appended claims. Furthermore, in thefollowing detailed description of the present invention, numerousspecific details are set forth in order to provide a thoroughunderstanding of the present invention. However, it will be clear to oneof ordinary skill in the art that the present invention may be practicedwithout these specific details. In other instances, well known methods,procedures, components, and circuits have not been described in detailas not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of the present invention.

The following description of the present invention will begin with adescription of the notation and nomenclature used in the presentapplication and an exemplary configuration of a general purpose computersystem on which embodiments of the present invention may be practiced.This description will then be followed by a detailed description settingforth the operation of the present invention.

NOTATION AND NOMENCLATURE

Some portions of the detailed descriptions which follow are presented interms of procedures, steps, logic blocks, processing, and other symbolicrepresentations of operations on data bits within a computer memory.These descriptions and representations are the means used by thoseskilled in the data processing arts to most effectively convey thesubstance of their work to others skilled in the art. A procedure,computer executed step, logic block, process, etc., is here, andgenerally, conceived to be a self-consistent sequence of steps orinstructions leading to a desired result. The steps are those requiringphysical manipulations of physical quantities to achieve tangible anduseful results. Usually, though not necessarily, these quantities takethe form of electrical or magnetic signals capable of being stored,transferred, combined, compared, and otherwise manipulated in a computersystem. It has proved convenient at times, principally for reasons ofcommon usage, to refer to these signals as bits, values, elements,symbols, characters, terms, numbers, or the like.

It should be borne in mind, however, that all of these and similar termsare to be associated with the appropriate physical quantities and aremerely convenient labels applied to these quantities. Unlessspecifically stated otherwise as apparent from the followingdiscussions, it is appreciated that throughout the present invention,discussions utilizing terms such as “receiving”, “storing”, “entering”,“notifying” or the like, refer to the action and processes of a computersystem (e.g., FIG. 1), or similar electronic computing device, thatmanipulates and transforms data represented as physical (electronic)quantities within the computer system's registers and memories intoother data similarly represented as physical quantities within thecomputer system memories or registers or other such information storage,transmission or display devices. The present invention is also wellsuited to the use of other computer systems such as, for example,optical and mechanical computers.

COMPUTER SYSTEM ENVIRONMENT

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary computer system 100 used in accordancewith embodiments of the present invention. Within the followingdiscussions of the present invention, certain processes and steps arediscussed that are realized, in certain embodiments, as a series ofcomputer-readable and computer-executable instructions (e.g., process300 as illustrated in FIG. 3) that reside, for example, incomputer-usable media of computer system 100 and executed byprocessor(s) of computer system 100. When executed, the instructionscause computer system 100 to perform specific actions and exhibitspecific behavior which is described in detail below. It is appreciatedthat computer system 100 of FIG. 1 is exemplary only and that thepresent invention can operate within a number of different computersystems including general purpose computer systems, embedded computersystems, and other computer systems specially adapted for transactionprocessing. Moreover, although not shown in FIG. 1, other modules andcomponents can also be present in computer system 100 to perform variousother functions that are not related to implementing an intermediary forfacilitating a transaction between a subscriber and a vendor and thusare not within the scope of the present invention.

Computer system 100 of FIG. 1 includes an address/data bus 102 forcommunicating information, and a central processor unit (CPU) 104coupled to bus 102 for processing information and instructions. Withinthe scope of the present invention, processor 104 can be a specializedprocessor that is optimized for transaction processing and/or networkcommunications. Computer system 100 also includes a signal input outputcommunication device 112 (e.g., a modem, a network interface card (NIC))coupled to bus 102 for interfacing with other computer systems over acommunication network.

Computer system 100 also includes data storage features such as acomputer-usable volatile memory 106 (e.g., random access memory (RAM))coupled to bus 102 for storing information and instructions for centralprocessor unit 104, computer-usable non-volatile memory 108 (e.g., readonly memory (ROM)) coupled to bus 102 for storing static information andinstructions for central processor unit 104, and a data storage device110 (e.g., a magnetic or optical disk and disk drive) coupled to bus 102for storing information and instructions. Data storage device 110 caninclude one or more removable magnetic or optical storage media (e.g.,diskettes, tapes) which are computer readable memories. Memory units ofcomputer system 100 include 106, 108 and 110. It should be noted thataspects of the present invention may be implemented as a computerprogram running on computer system 100. Alternatively, aspects of thepresent invention may be embodied as a computer program stored on acomputer-readable medium, such as volatile memory 106 or data storagedevice 110 (e.g., hard disk, floppy disk, etc.) In accordance with thepresent invention, signal input output communication device 112 canreceive various incoming transaction requests.

Optionally, computer system 100 may also include an alphanumeric inputdevice 114 having alphanumeric and function keys and coupled to bus 102for communicating information and command selections to centralprocessor unit 104, a cursor control device 116 coupled to bus 102 forcommunicating user input information and command selections to centralprocessor unit 104, and a display device 118 coupled to bus 102 fordisplaying information (e.g., text, graphics images). Display device 118of FIG. 1, utilized with the present invention, may be a liquid crystaldevice (LCD), cathode ray tube (CRT), or other display device suitablefor creating graphic images and alphanumeric characters recognizable toa user. Optional cursor control device 116 allows the computer user todynamically signal the two dimensional movement of a visible symbol(cursor) on a display screen of display device 118. Many implementationsof cursor control device 116 are known in the art including a trackball,mouse, touch pad or joystick. Alternatively, it will be appreciated thata cursor can be directed and/or activated via input from alphanumericinput device 114 using special keys and key sequence commands. Thepresent invention is also well suited to directing a cursor by othermeans such as, for example, voice commands.

EXEMPLARY CLIENT-SERVER ENVIRONMENT IN ACCORDANCE WITH EMBODIMENTS OFTHE PRESENT INVENTION

With reference next to FIG. 2, a block diagram illustrating an exemplaryclient-server environment 200 in which embodiments of the presentinvention can be practiced is shown. As illustrated, server systems 210and 230 as well as client system 220 are coupled to a communicationnetwork 280 which, in a currently preferred embodiment, comprises theInternet. Within the scope of the present invention, an e-vendor hostsits Web site on server 210, while an intermediary, or a “strawman”,provides its services using server 230. A consumer-subscriber accessesthe e-vendor's Web site on e-vendor server 210 to browse and/or conducta transaction (e.g., purchasing an item, conducting a financialtransaction such as banking or stock trading) using client system 220.In the context of the present invention, an intermediary is anorganization or application that let consumers sign up as subscribers,who can then transact business with other entities electronicallywithout revealing their identity to these entities. In effect, inaccordance with the present invention, the intermediary acts as anescrow agent and a middleman in a transaction between aconsumer-subscriber and a vendor in such a way that the vendor cannotidentify or track the customer as an individual. As such, the privacyand anonymity of the consumer-subscriber is preserved.

It is appreciated that computer system 100 of FIG. 1 can be used toimplement e-vendor server 210, strawman server 230, and/or client system220. Generally, though not necessarily, client system 220 is a personalcomputer (PC), whereas e-vendor server 210 and strawman server 230 aremore powerful computer systems with more hardware, software, and networkresources.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, e-vendor server 210 can include a database 213and server software 211, while strawman server 230 can include adatabase 233 and server software 231. In accordance with the presentinvention, database 213 can store product description as well as otherinformation for generating Web pages at the e-vendor's Web site, whereasdatabase 233 can store information about the intermediary's subscribers(e.g., name, address, billing preferences, etc.). It is appreciated thatsuch subscriber information can be stored in different databases onstrawman server 230. Significantly, in accordance with the presentinvention, e-vendor server 210 (and hence the e-vendor) does not haveaccess to database 233 or any additional databases on strawman server230. Database 233 is completely separate from database 213 and is underthe sole control of the intermediary. By acting as a middleman on behalfof a subscriber in transactions with an e-vendor in accordance with thepresent invention, the intermediary is able to completely shield theidentity of the consumer-subscriber from the e-vendor. The presentinvention thus advantageously protects the privacy and anonymity of theconsumer-subscriber.

Referring again to FIG. 2, client system 220 includes client software221. Client software 221 is an application program, such as a browser, acustom GUI (graphical user interface), etc., that allows a user tospecify content requests (e.g., clicking on hyperlinks, entering aUniversal Resource Locator (URL) or, more generally, a UniversalResource Identifier (URI)) to a server (e.g., e-vendor server 210,strawman server 230) using a network protocol (e.g., various versions ofHypertext Transfer Protocol, such as HTTP or HTTPS, etc.) The request isthen handled by the server identified by the URI. Client software 221,server software 211 and 231 have specialized code that allows them tocommunicate via the chosen network protocol (e.g., in conventionalsystems the client is usually a browser whereas the server is aweb-server). The server returns content as per the request parametersencoded in the URI. This content is delivered in a format that is wellunderstood by client software 211 (e.g., Hypertext Markup Language(HTML), Extensible Markup Language (XML), Standard Generalized MarkupLanguage (SGML), etc.) Upon receipt of the content by client software211, the content is parsed into an internal data structure (e.g., anabstract syntax tree or graph). The internal data structure is then usedto render the content on client software 211 in a human understandablerepresentation, such as text and graphic images.

It is appreciated that the content delivered by the server can includespecial processing instructions (e.g., get the content from anotherserver via the URI associated with a hyperlink, etc.) Specifically, itis appreciated that Web pages can include content that is stored locally(e.g., on the server hosting the requested Web page) or remotely (e.g.,on a server other than the hosting server). As such, if the requestedWeb page contains URIs that point to another server, client software 221would request those remote content from the other server. In otherwords, the hosting server and the other server need not communicatedirectly even if the requested Web page includes remote content.

DESCRIPTION OF THE OPERATION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

With reference still to FIG. 2, in one embodiment of the presentinvention, e-vendor server 210, strawman server 230, as well as client220 are coupled to the Internet 280. Using client software 221 on client220, a customer accesses the intermediary's Web site hosted on strawmanserver 230. Prior to using the services provided by the intermediary, aconsumer needs to establish an account with the intermediary and becomea subscriber. An account is necessary for the intermediary to attributeeach transaction conducted through the intermediary to the appropriatesubscriber and process the transaction (e.g., shipping, billing)accordingly. Thus, within the scope of the present invention, acustomer-subscriber establishes an ongoing relationship with theintermediary in lieu of having to set up numerous accounts withdifferent e-vendors. Once a subscriber account has been established, theconsumer-subscriber can conveniently transact business with differente-vendors anonymously, with the intermediary acting on theconsumer-subscriber's behalf in each transaction.

In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, when a newuser visits the intermediary's Web site to subscribe to theintermediary's services, the user is prompted to provide requisitepersonal information, such as the user's name and address, so that anaccount profile can be created for the user. Optionally, if the newsubscriber so desires, additional information such as credit cardinformation and personal preferences can also be stored within thecustomer's profile so that the customer does not need to enter theinformation every time a transaction is being entered into. In acurrently preferred embodiment, user account profiles are stored indatabase 233 of strawman server 230.

Referring again to FIG. 2, in a currently preferred embodiment, asoftware module 224 is downloaded from strawman server 230 to client 220as part of the user registration process. In an alternative embodiment,software module 224 can be provided to the consumer on a computerreadable medium (e.g., CD-ROM, diskette) instead of being downloadedover the Internet 280. In yet another embodiment, software module 224(e.g., program code written in a scripting language) is downloadeddynamically from strawman server 230 to client system 220 each time theconsumer-subscriber logs into his/her account at the intermediary's Website. In accordance with the present invention, software module 224 runson client system 220 and serves to communicate actions of theconsumer-subscriber to strawman server 230 in a given transaction sothat the intermediary's services can be properly rendered if theconsumer-subscriber so chooses.

More specifically, once a consumer becomes a subscriber to theintermediary's services, the consumer-subscriber can decide on atransaction-by-transaction basis whether to make use of the services ornot in any given transaction. Occasionally, the consumer-subscriber maydecide that anonymity is not critical in a particular transaction. Inthat case, the consumer-subscriber would simply engage in thetransaction directly with the e-vendor without going through theintermediary. In such transactions, strawman server 230 is not involvedand software module 224 needs not be active on client system 220.

On the other hand, when the consumer-subscriber wants to transactbusiness anonymously through the intermediary, then in one embodiment ofthe present invention, the consumer-subscriber would launch softwaremodule 224 on client system 220 before initiating the desiredtransaction. In another embodiment, software module 224 is launchedautomatically when the consumer-subscriber starts the browser program onclient system 220. Once it is up and running on client system 220,software module 224 works in conjunction with client software 221 tocommunicate with strawman server 230 in accordance with one embodimentof the present invention. Stated differently, software module 224 andclient software 221 together generate and present the user interface(UI) 320 (described below with reference to FIGS. 3A, 3B, 3C and 3D) ofthe present invention.

FIGS. 3A, 3B, 3C and 3D are diagrams illustrating exemplary screen shotsas observed by a consumer-subscriber during various stages of atransaction with a vendor through an intermediary in accordance with oneembodiment of the present invention. Referring now to FIG. 3A, in oneembodiment of the present invention, a button 301 is visible on thedisplay (e.g., display device 118) of client system 220 when softwaremodule 224 is running. The consumer-subscriber can at any time click onbutton 301 to log into his/her account with the intermediary. In acurrently preferred embodiment, when the consumer-subscriber clicks onbutton 301, the consumer-subscriber is prompted to enter his/her username and password for authentication purposes. As described above, theconsumer-subscriber has completion discretion as to whether to use theintermediary's services or not for a particular transaction. Thus, ifthe consumer-subscriber decides not to use the services, there is noneed to log into his/her account with the intermediary in accordancewith the present invention. Under those circumstances, theconsumer-subscriber proceeds to perform the desired transaction directlywith the e-vendor at its Web site without the involvement of theintermediary, as if the consumer-subscriber has never signed up for theservices.

Referring now to FIG. 3B, when the consumer-subscriber is logged intohis/her account, in a currently preferred embodiment, software module224 launches a user interface (UI) 320 to facilitate anonymoustransaction(s) based upon the consumer-subscriber's actions as describedbelow. Included in UI 320 of this embodiment are buttons 321, 322, 323,324 and 325 as well as an icon 328. More specifically, in thisembodiment, button 321 is labeled “My Account” and when clicked bringsup within UI 320 a “My Account” screen, which is described withreference to FIG. 3D below. When button 322, labeled “Favorites” in thisembodiment, is clicked, a list of the consumer-subscriber's favorite Websites for electronic transactions (e.g., based on past transactionsand/or user entries) is displayed within UI 320, allowing theconsumer-subscriber to access any of those sites by a simple click.

Moreover, with reference still to FIG. 3B, clicking button 323 lets theconsumer-subscriber bring up the “Shopping Cart” screen. In a currentlypreferred embodiment, the “Shopping Cart” screen tabulates in a highlyreadable fashion those item(s) with which transactions are pending(e.g., products which have been selected by the consumer-subscriber forpurchase but the transaction has yet to be finalized because theconsumer-subscriber is still browsing and/or shopping for additionalitem(s)) so that the consumer-subscriber can easily review the selecteditem(s) and make any changes as necessary prior to submitting thetransaction for processing.

With reference still to FIG. 3B, button 324 is a “Browse” button that,in one embodiment, takes the consumer-subscriber directly to the lastWeb site visited while logged on to his/her account. This enables theconsumer-subscriber to conveniently return to the place where he/sheleft off to complete a transaction that was interrupted or otherwisepostponed. To log off from his/her account, the consumer-subscriberclicks on “Logoff” button 325. In one embodiment, theconsumer-subscriber is prompted to confirm that he/she desires to logoff. Once logged off, the consumer-subscriber needs to re-login in orderto use the intermediary's services. Furthermore, in this embodiment,icon 328 is depicted as a hand-shaped object within UI 320. Clicking onicon 328 puts the consumer-subscriber in a so-called “grab” mode, inwhich the consumer-subscriber can easily select items presented at ane-vendor's Web site, described below with reference to FIG. 3C.

It should be appreciated that the specific features of UI 320 describedherein with respect to the instant embodiment are merely illustrativeand are not intended to limit the present invention thereto. Rather,certain features can be omitted and/or additional features notspecifically mentioned herein can be included without departing from thescope and spirit of the present invention. Moreover, in one embodiment,a subset of the features within UI 320 can be hidden from view ordisabled under the control of software module 224 whenever thosefeatures are not applicable under the circumstances (e.g., “Logoff”button 325 is not displayed when the consumer-subscriber is not loggedon) to present a clean, uncluttered look to the consumer-subscriber andto facilitate easy navigation.

Referring next to FIG. 3C, once the consumer-subscriber is logged intohis/her account, in a currently preferred embodiment, theconsumer-subscriber can proceed to browse item(s) on a e-vendor's Website in the usual fashion (e.g., by clicking on different hyperlinks).In this embodiment, when the consumer-subscriber finds a particular itemof interest at the e-vendor's Web site (e.g., a product that theconsumer-subscriber wants to purchase from the e-vendor), theconsumer-subscriber activates the “grab” mode by clicking on icon 328.In one embodiment, upon such clicking of icon 328, the pointer of thepointing device changes from its normal form (e.g., an arrow) to a handshape pointer 338 resembling icon 328, whereupon the consumer-subscribercan indicate his/her selection with pointer 338. In a currentlypreferred embodiment, the consumer-subscriber swipes pointer 338 acrossthe hyperlink (e.g., product icon 333 a, text link 333 b) representingthe desired item to indicate its selection. In another embodiment, theconsumer-subscriber employs a drag-and-drop action (e.g., click and holdpointer 338 on the item of interest, move pointer 338 to a designatedlocation within UI 320, such as a shopping cart icon (not shown in FIG.3B) and then release the item thereupon) to indicate the desiredselection. Other embodiments are also possible wherein theconsumer-subscriber signifies his/her selection of the item of interestby way of other combinations of user input (e.g., clicks and movementsof a mouse, text entry via a keyboard).

Significantly, within the scope of the present invention, theinformation of the selection (e.g., what item has been selected by theconsumer-subscriber and at which e-vendor Web site) is transmitted tostrawman server 230 through the consumer-subscriber's client software221 and software module 224 in a transparent manner. However, thee-vendor remains totally uninformed as to the identity of theconsumer-subscriber because no information about the consumer-subscriberis transmitted to the e-vendor. Moreover, in one embodiment, informationabout the pending transaction is not yet conveyed to the e-vendor thusfar.

Once strawman server 230 has received the selection information,strawman server 230 initiates a transaction with the e-vendor on behalfof the consumer-subscriber based on the selection information.Importantly, within the scope of the present invention, strawman server230 provides to the e-vendor information about the intermediary forpurposes of conducting the transaction (e.g., in a purchase transaction,the product is shipped to the intermediary and billed to theintermediary's account as if the intermediary is the end-user) withoutever revealing any information about the consumer-subscriber, who is thereal party to the transaction behind the scene, to the e-vendor. Assuch, the present invention completely shields the identity andtransaction history of the consumer-subscriber from the e-vendor, thuspreserving the anonymity and privacy of the consumer-subscriber in eachand every transaction conducted via the intermediary.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the intermediary establishesaccounts in its name with numerous e-vendors and furnishes a list of allthose e-vendors with whom it has such accounts to its subscribers. Thesubscribers can then transaction business with any of the e-vendors onthat list through the intermediary. In this embodiment, the intermediarycollects and indexes multiple e-vendors under a single Web site so thatconsumers can comparison shop and/or choose from among differente-vendors all from the same site, thus offering added convenience andflexibility to savvy on-line consumers.

In another embodiment, the consumer-subscriber is able to transactbusiness with any e-vendor of his/her choice through the intermediary.In this embodiment, once the consumer-subscriber's selection is receivedat strawman server 230, it determines whether an established accountalready exists between the intermediary and the e-vendor chosen by theconsumer-subscriber. If an account is already in existence, strawmanserver 230 simply logs into the account and conducts the transactionbased on the selection information. On the other hand, if there is noestablished account relationship between the intermediary and thee-vendor of choice, strawman server 230 proceeds to set up an accountwith the e-vendor in the name of the intermediary, and then thetransaction as requested by the consumer-subscriber is conducted usingthe newly established account.

Once again, it is important to note that in all embodiments of thepresent invention the e-vendor is merely aware that it is transactingbusiness with the intermediary but is at all times without any knowledgeas to who the ultimate consumer is. By acting in a capacity similar tothat of an escrow agent but in addition shielding the identity of theconsumer-subscriber from the e-vendor, the intermediary advantageouslyprotects the anonymity and privacy of the consumer-subscriber in eachand every transaction conducted in accordance with the presentinvention.

With reference next to FIG. 3D, in one embodiment, a “My Account” screenappears within UI 320 when the consumer-subscriber clicks on “MyAccount” button 321. In this embodiment, the “My Account” screendisplays within UI 320 those transactions that have been consummatedthrough the account to date. In one embodiment, “My Account” screen ofUI 320 includes an “Account Balance” button 341 which, when clicked,brings up the outstanding balance on the consumer-subscriber's account.Moreover, in one embodiment, the consumer-subscriber can specify aperiod such that transactions entered into during that period aredisplayed. Thus, as shown in FIG. 3D, pressing “Current Month Summary”button 342 would limit the displayed entries to those transactions thathave occurred during the current month (e.g., the current billing cycleor statement period). Likewise, clicking “Past Summaries” button 343would allow the consumer-subscriber to bring up older transactions in asummary format.

Furthermore, referring still to FIG. 3D, in one embodiment, theconsumer-subscriber can sort the displayed entries using variouscriteria (e.g., by date, by e-vendor, by transaction amount, bytransaction type, etc.) so that the consumer-subscriber can easilyreview the selected item(s) and make any changes as necessary prior tosubmitting the transaction for processing.

Additionally, in one embodiment, the consumer-subscriber can click on aparticular entry displayed within the “My Account” screen to bring uptracking information (e.g., whether the item has been shipped in apurchase transaction) for the corresponding transaction. It isappreciated that these and other account maintenance features providedby the present invention beneficially afford the consumer-subscriber acentralized, consolidated view of all the electronic transactionsconducted through his/her account with the intermediary, thuseliminating the inconvenience and burden of having to keep track ofactivities with each and every vendor separately.

Moreover, in a currently preferred embodiment, even after theconsumer-subscriber has received shipment of the ordered item(s) fromthe intermediary in a purchase transaction, additional services areavailable to the consumer-subscriber with respect to those items. Moreparticularly, the consumer-subscriber may want to return the item, toexchange the item for other merchandise, to have the item sent in forrepairs, to submit a warranty card or a rebate request, or to requestother post-delivery services regarding the item(s) ordered through theintermediary using the subscriber's account. To that end, theconsumer-subscriber can submit such post-delivery requests to the vendoror manufacturer through the intermediary. Importantly, theconsumer-subscriber again is able to benefit from the advantages offeredby the intermediary's services, namely, to remain anonymous with respectto the vendors and manufacturers, who are uninformed as to the identityof the ultimate consumer but are merely aware that business is beingtransacted with the intermediary.

Referring next to FIG. 4, a flow diagram illustrating steps forfacilitating a transaction between a consumer-subscriber and an e-vendorthrough an intermediary in accordance with one embodiment of the presentinvention is shown. In step 410, personal information of the subscriberis received by the intermediary for establishing a user account with theintermediary as described above.

Referring still to FIG. 4, in step 420, the personal informationreceived in step 410 is stored by the intermediary for subsequentaccess. In one embodiment, the information is stored in database 233 ofstrawman server 230. In a preferred embodiment, the information isstored in a highly secured fashion and access thereto is subject tospecial security measures so that the information is safely protectedfrom unauthorized access or tampering by malicious hackers.

With reference still to FIG. 4, in step 430, a request to access theuser account is received at the intermediary from the subscriber, uponwhich the subscriber's identity is verified by the intermediary againstthe personal information as stored in step 420. In a currently preferredembodiment, step 430 is performed when a consumer-subscriber attempts tolog into his/her account.

Referring again to FIG. 4, in step 440, the intermediary enters into atransaction with the vendor on behalf of the subscriber according toinstruction given by the subscriber. In a currently preferredembodiment, the subscriber specifies what action is to be performed bythe intermediary on his/her behalf (e.g., what item to purchase at ane-vendor Web site) through UI 320 as described above with reference toFIG. 3C.

With reference again to FIG. 4, in step 450, upon the completion of thetransaction, the subscriber is notified as such. It should beappreciated that the notification can be implemented in various wayswithin the scope of the present invention. In one embodiment, aconfirmation message is displayed on the screen within UI 320immediately after completion of the transaction while theconsumer-subscriber is still logged on to his/her account. In anotherembodiment, an electronic mail (e-mail) message is sent to the consumer.In still another embodiment, a confirmation notice is physically sent tothe consumer's address on record. Importantly, in whatever way theconsumer-subscriber and the intermediary communicate as it relates tothe transaction, in accordance with the present invention, thetransaction is completed without disclosing the subscriber's personalinformation to the vendor, as has been described in detail above.

Referring still to FIG. 4, in optional step 455, an account activitystatement is prepared for the subscriber, which statement includesinformation about transactions completed through the user account duringa statement period. In a currently preferred embodiment, such astatement is presented to the subscriber via UI 320 upon request, asdescribed above with reference to FIG. 3D. Alternatively, in anotherembodiment, a statement is prepared, as a paper copy, in a periodicfashion (e.g., monthly) and sent to the subscriber.

Referring again to FIG. 4, in optional step 465, an item ordered fromthe vendor on behalf of the subscriber pursuant to the subscriber'sinstruction is received at the intermediary. In accordance with oneembodiment of the present invention, the subscriber is notified upon thereceipt of the ordered item, and the item is held at the intermediaryawaiting pick-up by the subscriber. Alternatively, in anotherembodiment, the item is simply shipped to the subscriber upon itsreceipt at the intermediary. In optional step 475, the subscriber isbilled for services rendered by the intermediary. In one embodiment, theintermediary can provide financing (e.g., credit purchase) to theconsumer-subscriber, so that the amount billed to theconsumer-subscriber may include finance charges and interests inaddition to actual total purchase price of items ordered, account fees,and other agreed upon service charges. Once again, the consolidatedbilling and other account maintenance features provided by the presentinvention advantageously allow the consumer-subscriber to manage all theelectronic transactions in a centralized, organized fashion throughhis/her account with the intermediary, thus ridding the inconvenienceand burden of disjointed account maintenance that inevitably resultsfrom having to deal with records from numerous vendors.

With reference again to FIG. 4, in optional step 485, a post-deliveryrequest regarding the ordered item is received at the intermediary fromthe subscriber. Then, in optional step 495, the post-delivery request ishandled by the intermediary on behalf of the subscriber. As describedpreviously, the post-delivery request can be a return request, a repairrequest, an exchange request, a warranty submission request, a rebaterequest, or any other request that concerns the item ordered through theintermediary using the subscriber's account. By further providing thesevalue-added services to the consumer, the intermediary can offer asuperior customer experience and premier services to its subscribers,setting itself apart from the competition of pure merchandising and/orcatalog Web sites. A method for facilitating a transaction between aconsumer-subscriber and an e-vendor through an intermediary inaccordance with embodiments of the present invention has thus beendescribed.

Significantly, since the method of the present invention as described ishighly configurable, it can easily be tailored for use with a widespectrum of e-commerce Web sites which have different layouts andnavigation paradigms. Moreover, the consumer-subscriber does not have toget involved with the underlying aspects of the present invention. Morespecifically, embodiments of the present invention (e.g., softwaremodule 224 of FIG. 2) can be automatically configured so that it adaptsto the characteristics of a Web site. As such, the present inventionprovides a ubiquitous solution for the subscribing consumer.

The foregoing description thus clearly demonstrates that intermediaryservices implemented in accordance with embodiments of the presentinvention are highly advantageous to the consumer-subscriber. Moreparticularly, by subscribing to the intermediary services describedherein, the consumer-subscriber is not only able to remain anonymouswith respect to the e-vendors with whom the consumer-subscribertransacts business, but the consumer-subscriber is also able toeliminate the need to establish and maintain multiple user names andpasswords with the individual e-vendors. Additionally, theconsumer-subscriber is able to avoid the hassle of having to deal withrecords from numerous vendors. Instead, the consumer-subscriber enjoys acentralized, consolidated view of all the electronic transactionsconducted through his/her account with the intermediary, thus fullyavoiding the inconvenience and burden of having to keep track ofactivities with each and every vendor separately. This greatlysimplifies the life of the consumer-subscriber and enhances theelectronic transaction experience. Therefore, embodiments of the presentinvention promote broad consumer acceptance and participation inelectronic transactions because of the added assurance that theirpersonal information is better protected and the added convenience oftransactions management. Moreover, since the intermediary providesvalue-added services that are highly desirable to on-line consumers whoare increasingly concerned about their privacy and anonymity, thepresent invention also provides the framework for a viable andprofitable business model in the fast evolving environment ofe-commerce.

Although certain embodiments of the present invention as describedherein pertain primarily to on-line purchases, it is appreciated thatmany other advantageous applications are possible within the scope ofthe present invention. For example, the present invention can beadvantageously applied to conduct on-line financial transactions, sothat a financial institution, as a lender, for instance, needs not anddoes not know the identity of its borrower as long as the lender can beassured through the intermediary that the borrower meets certaincredit-worthiness criteria as prescribed by the lender. In anotherembodiment, the present invention can be advantageously used inanonymous on-line exchanges of all forms of digital media. Therefore,the present invention enables numerous possibilities in a new paradigmwherein electronic transactions can be conducted anonymously amongtransacting parties with the aid of an intermediary or “strawman” inaccordance with the present invention. It should be clear to a person ofordinary skill in the art, having read the description of embodiments ofthe present invention herein, that other applications and embodimentsnot expressly described herein are also possible without departing fromthe scope and spirit of the present invention.

The preferred embodiment of the present invention, a system and methodfor implementing an intermediary to preserve user privacy and anonymityin electronic transactions, is thus described. While the presentinvention has been described in particular embodiments, it should beappreciated that the present invention should not be construed aslimited by such embodiments, but rather construed according to the belowclaims.

1-20. (canceled)
 21. A method implemented by a device comprising aprocessor, memory, and a display, the method comprising: receiving, atan intermediary, information for performing a transaction with a vendor,the transaction to be performed on behalf of a consumer-subscriber; theintermediary presenting the information to the vendor; receiving, at theintermediary, confirmation from the vendor of the transaction; and theintermediary providing notification of the confirmation, thenotification accessible by the consumer-subscriber.
 22. The method ofclaim 21, wherein the notification comprises a displayed message. 23.The method of claim 21, wherein the transaction is completed withoutdisclosing information about the consumer-subscriber to the vendor. 24.The method of claim 21, further comprising displaying informationidentifying vendors with which transactions can be performed on behalfof the consumer-subscriber.
 25. The method of claim 24, furthercomprising receiving a selection of a vendor from among the vendors. 26.The method of claim 24, further comprising sorting the informationidentifying the vendors to change the order of their display.
 27. Themethod of claim 21, wherein the information comprises monetaryinformation.
 28. The method of claim 27, further comprising displaying abalance for the monetary information.
 29. The method of claim 27,further comprising adjusting the monetary information in response tocompletion of the transaction.
 30. The method of claim 21, furthercomprising displaying information about transactions completed over aperiod of time.
 31. A device comprising: a processor; a display coupledto the processor; and a memory coupled to the processor, the memoryhaving stored therein instructions that when executed cause the deviceto perform a method comprising: sending, to an intermediary, informationfor performing a transaction with a vendor, the transaction to beperformed on behalf of a consumer-subscriber associated with the device,wherein in response to receiving the information the intermediarypresents the information to the vendor; receiving, via the intermediary,notification from the vendor confirming the transaction; and presentingthe notification to the consumer-subscriber.
 32. The device of claim 31,wherein the notification comprises a displayed message.
 33. The deviceof claim 31, wherein the transaction is completed without disclosinginformation about the consumer-subscriber to the vendor.
 34. The deviceof claim 31, wherein the device is operable for displaying informationidentifying vendors with which transactions can be performed on behalfof the consumer-subscriber.
 35. The device of claim 34, wherein thedevice is operable for receiving a selection of a vendor from among thevendors.
 36. The device of claim 34, wherein the device is operable forsorting the information identifying the vendors to change the order oftheir display.
 37. The device of claim 31, wherein the informationcomprises monetary information.
 38. The device of claim 37, wherein thedevice is operable for displaying a balance for the monetaryinformation.
 39. The device of claim 37, wherein the device is operablefor adjusting the monetary information in response to completion of thetransaction.
 40. The device of claim 31, wherein the device is operablefor displaying information about transactions completed over a period oftime.
 41. A device comprising: a processor; and a memory coupled to theprocessor, the memory having stored therein instructions that whenexecuted cause the device to perform a method comprising: receiving,from a second device, information for performing a transaction with avendor, the transaction to be performed on behalf of aconsumer-subscriber associated with the second device; presenting theinformation to the vendor; receiving confirmation from the vendor of thetransaction; and providing notification of the confirmation to thesecond device, the notification accessible by the consumer-subscriber.42. The device of claim 41, wherein the transaction is completed withoutdisclosing information about the consumer-subscriber to the vendor. 43.The device of claim 41, wherein the device is operable for identifyingvendors with which transactions can be performed on behalf of theconsumer-subscriber.
 44. The device of claim 43, wherein the device isoperable for receiving a selection of a vendor from among the vendors.45. The device of claim 41, wherein the information comprises monetaryinformation.
 46. The device of claim 41, wherein the informationcomprises information about transactions completed over a period oftime.